Paint brush cleaner for cans



.June 2, 1942.

PAINT BRUSH CLEANER FOR CANS Filed March 11, 1940 U E J I H mm I c. HILL2,2 4,

Patented June 2, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

. i 2,284,901 r 3 PAINT BRUSH CLEAN R Fon'oANs V Frank 0. mu, Chicago,Ill.

Application March 11, 1940, Serial No. 323,25 4 Claims. (01. 220-90)This invention relates to awiper device across which a liquid-applyingbrushmay be drawn for squeezing excess liquid out of the brush Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a paint brush wiper constructionadapted to be removably connected to a paint container and so shaped asto allow excess paint to drip into the container away from itssidewalls.

Containers for liquids of the type used for decorative or protectivepurposes, such as, paints,

. .lacquers, varnishes, and the like, are usually provided with aflanged opening for receiving a cover.. By fiang'lng the inner edge ofthe cover opening, 'a recess or groove is formed between the flange andthe tainer. V 1 When a brush is dipped into the liquid and the "excessof liquid squeezed out of the brush by drawing it across the flange someof the liquid drips into the recess adjacent the flange. If the liquidis a mixture which dries to form an adherent-film, the' cover becomessealed within the container opening and its removal therefrom is madedifiicult. Furthermore, if the liqouter side wall of the conuid dripsback into the container from the grooved'fla'nge some partially driedmaterial may become mixed with the liquid to form objectionable lumps VThe method of partially or entirely scraping liquids from a brush onthe-edge of a container is further, objectionable due to some of theexcess liquid running down along the outside of the containertherebyspreading to the operators hands when grasping the containerwallsJ It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide a device in combination with a liquid container which eliminatesthese objectionable features. 7 Another object of this invention is theprovision of an inexpensive device, capable of. being quicklyandremovably connected to a liquid container, across which a brushdipped into the liquid may be drawn to squeeze the excessliquid out ofthe brush. I

A further object ofthis invention is the provision of a cleaner devicefor liquid-applying brushes which, when attached to a liquid container,is shaped to providea drip for the excess liquid in the brush insuchamanner that the x s liq id d ps into the container awayfrom its edgesor side walls.

A still further obiect of the present invention is the provision of acleaner device for liquidapplying brushes constructed for attachment tovarious sizes of containers and providing for a dripfor excess liquidsat a point away from the edges and side walls of the container.

The novel features believed :to be characteristic of this invention areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention thecontainer side walls l'9.

invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating the device of this invention incombination with a liquid container; H 1

Figure 3 is a side elevationalview of the combination illustrated inFigure 2, witha portion of the container in vertical cross-section as.taken substantially-alongta plane indicated by, theline III-III ofFigure 2, and showing the dripping arrangementof the brush cleaner at apoint inside of the container edges and side walls;

Figure 4 is a View similarto Figure 2 illustrating the brushcleaner'device when attached to a relatively large liquid containerFigure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectionalview,

with parts in elevation, illustrating a modified trated in Figures 1, 2and .3, includes a wiping bar II, a flange or bracket I2 secured theretoand depending therefrom adjacent a straight end I! thereof, and anadjusting .nut 13 inthreaded engagement with a threaded portion il'aofsaid end l'l. i

.The wiping bar vH comprises offset sloping portions [4; andv i5 whichconverge to. form a liquid dripping portion 15. Figure 2 i theconverging portions 14, and, 15 of the wiper bar H are bent inhorizontal angular relation to the straight end portion H. The bracketII is of sufficient width to automatically and diametrically positionthe straight end portion ll of the wiper bar when applied against theflange forming the cover opening of a liquid container 18. V I

Figures 2 and 3 serveto illustrate the constructionof the usualbrushing-liquid container. Such a container generally comprises sidewalls l9 and a bottom wall 28.

A top wall 2| of, the container I8 has its outer edge 22 crimped or spunover the top edge of Its inner edge is turned upwardly to form a flange23 defining a cover opening and a circumferentially extending recess orgroove 24 adjacent thereto.

The angular bracket, I2 is adapted to be seated As best shown in vice isso connected, the dripping area [6 of the wiping bar I2 is so positionedthat any liquid dripping therefrom will fall into the body of thecontainer, as illustrated in Figure 3.

When the wiping device is operatively connected to the container asillustrated in Figures 2 and 3, a brush dipped into the liquid 25, suchas paint, varnish, and the like, is drawn upwardly out of the containeragainst the wiper bar 12 to remove excess liquids therefrom. Any excessliquid wiped on the bar will flow towards the depressed dripping area IEto drip therefrom into the body of the container. This method of wipingan excess of liquid from a brush eliminates the objectionable featuresofhaving the liquid flow into the top wall recess or, after partiallyhardening, of dripping back into the body of the liquid to make itlumpy.

If all the liquid is not used, the wiping device is easily and quicklyremoved from the container and its cover applied thereto without any ofthe liquid getting on either the top or the sides of the container.

If large-sized containers I8a as illustrated in Figure 4, having thesame construction as the container l8, are used the wiping bar Ila isformed to provide a downwardly and laterally oiTset wiping portion Ma.In this form of the device, the

dripping area is at the free end of the wiping bar rather than in anintermediate depressed portion as shown in the device illustrated inFigure 1.

It should be understood, however, that the wiper devices illustrated inFigures 2 and 4 may be used with any size container it being importantonly to provide a drip portion allowing excess liquid to drip into thecontainer away from its sides and top edges and suflicient room adjacentthe wiper bar to allow for stirring or removal of the liquid by a brush.

The modified form of the device illustrated in Figure provides adifferent means for connecting the wiping device to the container. Thewiping' device ofthis modification is the same as that illustrated inFigures 1 to 3, inclusive, with the exception that the straight endportion [1b of the wiping bar is longer than that provided i thepreferred form of the device.

A washer 26 is urged against the outer crimped edge 22 of the containertop wall 2| by a coil spring 21, the compression of which is adjustableby threading the adjacent nut [3a along the threaded portion of the endof the wiping bar.

An additional modification of the wiping device of this invention isillustrated in Figure 6. In this modification, the end Ha of the wipingbar is provided with a U-shaped spring portion 28 at its free end. TheU-shaped portion 28 is sprung over against the side wall [9 of thecontainer to be thereagainst and hold the downwardly extending leg I2aof the bracket l2 in retaining engagement with the container I 8.

It is to be noted in each of the wiping devices illustrated, the wipingbar is angularly offset in a horizontal plane to provide sufiicient roomfor inserting a brush into the liquid container and to allow forstirring of the liquid as it is being used. It is apparent from theforegoing description that a wiping device for liquid-applying brushesis effected which, when operatively connected to a liquid container,provides means for wiping excess liquid from a brush in such a mannerthat the liquid drips into the body of the container away from its edgesor side walls thereby eliminating the smearing of, liquid on the outsideof the container.

. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown,it will, of course, be understood that the invention is not to belimited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and, therefore,it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover all suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wiping device for liquid-applying brushes comprising a bar memberadapted to extend crosswise of the open top of a container, said barmember having a depressed portion defining a drip and an end portion inangular relation thereto in the plane of the rim defining the top of thecontainer, the angular end of said bar member having a laterallyextending stiff flat flange portion and a threaded portion extendingbeyond in normal relation to the outside of the container, and a nutengaging said threaded portion and arranged to coact with said flangeportion for detachably connecting said wiping device to a portion of therim of said container.

2. A wiping device for liquid-applying brushes comprising a bar memberadapted to extend crosswise of the open top of a liquid container, saidbar member having a depressed portion defining a liquid drip, said baralso having a threaded end portion in angular relation to said depressedportion and being ofiset in the plane defined'by the rim of saidcontainer, at wide flat bracket axially connected to and radiallydepending from said bar member adjacent its threaded end portions, and anut engaging said threaded end portion of the bar member, said nut andbracket arranged for detachably connecting said wiping device to a rimportion of said liquid container.

3. A wiping device 'for liquid-applying brushes comprising a bar memberadapted to extend crosswise of the open top of a liquid container, saidbar member having a depressed portion defining a liquid drip, said barmember also having a threaded end portion in angular relation to saiddepressed portion, a bracket depending from said bar member adjacent itsthreaded end portion and adapted to engage the inner edge of the opentop of said container, a washer on the threaded end portion of saidmember adapted to engage the outer edge of said container, a coil springembracing said threaded end portion, and a nut engaging the threaded endportion to compress said coil spring for detachably connecting saidwiping device to the top of said liquid container.

4. A wiping device comprising a rod member adapted to extend crosswiseof the open top of a container, one end of said rod member beingthreaded and extending be ond in normal relation to the outside of thecontainer, a flat flange member extending radially from and beingfixedly connected to an intermediate portion of said rod member, and athreaded member for receiving therethrough said one threaded end of therod member, said threaded member and flange member coacting fordetachably connecting said wiping device to the rim of said container.

FRANK C. HILL.

